Indie Film Hustle® Podcast: Filmmaking | Screenwriting | Cinematography | Film School | Film Production | Independent Film

Rob Edwards has written two classic animated films for WALT DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATION, the Academy Award nominated Treasure Planet and the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated The Princess and the Frog. He also consulted on Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph and Frozen. He penned AMULET for Warner Brother's and ANIMATED AMERICAN for Disney.Rob is currently writing projects for SHOWTIME, SONY, PARAMOUNT, and Chris Rock. Rob is also known for his work on the television shows "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", "Full House", "A Different World", "Roc", "In Living Color" and as the creator of "Out All Night." In 2012, Rob launched robedwards.net where he shares the tools he has developed over 30 years of writing professionally. He has taught and/or lectured for UCLA, Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Syracuse University, Boston University, Howard University, The Organization of Black Screenwriters, CTN Expo, LMU, Digital Hollywood, The Scriptwriters Network, The Writers Store, University of California Riverside, Le Moyne Colle

Today on the show we have the showrunning writing duo of Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit. They are responsible for bring iconic character Pikachu to the big screen. The film starred Ryan Reynolds.Ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son, Tim, to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry's former Pokémon partner, wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth Detective Pikachu. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces to unravel the tangled mystery.Easily one of my favorite projects they worked on is the Netflix show One Day at a Time. On that project they got to work with the television living legend Norman Lear.This comedy-drama is inspired by Norman Lear's 1975 series of the same name. This time around, the series follows the life of Penelope, a newly single Army veteran, and her Cuban-American family, as they navigate the ups and downs of life. Now a nurse, Penelope is ra

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

Danny Draven is an award-winning director and producer of genre films. After receiving his film degree in Boston, he moved to Hollywood and worked his way up through the ranks until he began producing and directing sci-fi/horror films for genre studio Full Moon Pictures (Puppet Master series, Trancers) where he cut his teeth before starting his own successful production/post-production company. He has also edited over 100 feature films, including films for Lionsgate, NBC Universal's Chiller TV, SyFy Channel and a series for Lifetime Network TV.He has worked with and been mentored by Hollywood veterans such as Master of Horror Stuart Gordon (Fortress, Re-Animator), legendary cinematographer Mac Ahlberg (Beverly Hills Cop 3), executive producer Harry Bring (X-Files, Criminal Minds) and executive producer Mark Ordesky (Lord of the Rings Trilogy). He is also the author of three published books on genre filmmaking and a member of the Producers Guild of America

Today's guest is writer and showrunner, Daniel Knauf. Daniel Knauf had a couple of small credits to his name—a TV movie here, a stint on Wolf Lake there—when he managed to sell the intricate Great Depression-era genre show Carnivale to HBO.The series, an intricate blend of meticulously researched period detail and secret-history fantasy, purported to tell the tale of what happened when the last two “Avatars”—superpowered beings of light and darkness—met in the United States on the eve of World War II. The series attracted a cult audience that remains devoted to this day, but a mass audience wasn’t sure what to make of the program, and HBO canceled it after two seasons, saying the show’s story was finished, in spite of Knauf’s plan for a six-season run.We go deep inside the writer's room, what it takes to be a showrunner and many of his misadventures in Hollyweird!Enjoy my conversation with Daniel Knauf.

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

Roger William Corman was born April 5, 1926, in Detroit, Michigan. Initially following in his father's footsteps, Corman studied engineering at Stanford University but while in school, he began to lose interest in the profession and developed a growing passion for film. Upon graduation, he worked a total of three days as an engineer at US Electrical Motors, which cemented his growing realization that engineering wasn't for him. He quit and took a job as a messenger for 20th Century Fox, eventually rising to the position of story analyst.After a term spent studying modern English literature at England's Oxford University and a year spent bopping around Europe, Corman returned to the US, intent on becoming a screenwriter/producer.He sold his first script in 1953, "The House in the Sea," which was eventually filmed and released as Highway Dragnet (1954).Horrified by the disconnect between his vision for the project and the film that eventually emerged, Corman took his salary from the picture, scraped together a

Have you ever wondered what it is like screenwriting inside the Marvel and Studio machine? Wonder no further, today we have screenwriter and director Joe Cornish. Joe was one of the writer's on Marvel's Ant-Man. The English comedian and filmmaker burst onto the scene in 2011 with his very successful film directorial debut, Attack The Block, starring John Boyega, who played Moses, a low-level crook, teenage gang leader, an orphan looking for respect around the block. The British sci-fi comedy horror film centers on a teenage street gang who have to defend themselves and their block from predatory alien invaders on Guy Fawkes Night.Cornish and his comedy partner, Adam Buxton form the successful duo, Adam & Joe an ironic pop culture sketch show which gained a lot of success in the UK alongside Cornish’s long-term work in the UK TV entertainment industry. In 2011 he joined iconic directors, Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg as a writer for the screenplay and story for the 3D animated action-adventure film,

Pat Flynn, the founder of Smart Passive Income (SPI), is a pioneering figure in the world of online business and digital marketing. His success story has inspired countless entrepreneurs to create their own passive income streams, and his educational resources have empowered individuals to achieve financial freedom. In this article, we will explore Pat Flynn's journey, his strategies for success, and the impact of Smart Passive Income on the digital landscape.Pat Flynn's story began in 2008 when he was laid off from his architecture job during the global financial crisis. Facing an uncertain future, Flynn decided to take matters into his own hands and started exploring ways to generate income online.He initially found success by creating a website called Green Exam Academy, which provided study materials for the LEED exam, an architecture industry certification. The site quickly gained traction, and Flynn realized the potential of passive income as he continued to earn money from the sales of his study materi

Craig Brewer (Director/Producer) began his career as a filmmaker in Memphis, Tennessee. While working at Barnes & Noble, he learned camera and editing techniques from books he purchased with his employee discount. In 2000, he made his first feature film, THE POOR & HUNGRY, which won Best Digital Feature at the 2000 Hollywood Film Festival. Brewer’s second film, HUSTLE & FLOW, starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, was produced by Stephanie Allain and the late John Singleton. The film premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, winning the Audience Award for Best Feature. The film secured a record-breaking acquisition deal by Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. It garnered an Academy Award nomination for lead actor Terrence Howard and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song: Three 6 Mafia’s "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp." Brewer’s third film, BLACK SNACK MOAN, starred Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Timberlake. The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and w

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

Oren Peli, an Israeli-American film producer, director, and screenwriter, is the creative genius behind the horror sensation Paranormal Activity. The movie single-handedly revolutionized the found-footage genre and spawned a successful franchise, all while being produced on a shoestring budget. In this article, we explore Peli's background, the making of Paranormal Activity, and its immense impact on the horror film industry.Oren had always been fascinated by the world of movies.After moving to the United States in his early twenties, Peli initially worked as a software programmer. However, his passion for films remained undiminished, and he soon turned his attention to filmmaking. With no prior experience, Peli embarked on an ambitious journey and created a movie that would leave a lasting impact on the horror genre.Enjoy our conversation with Oren Peli.

You’ve just boarded a plane. You’ve loaded your phone with your favorite podcasts, but before you can pop in your earbuds, disaster strikes: The guy in the next seat starts telling you all about something crazy that happened to him–in great detail. This is the unwelcome storyteller, trying to convince a reluctant audience to care about his story.We all hate that guy, right? But when you tell a story (any kind of story: a novel, a memoir, a screenplay, a stage play, a comic, or even a cover letter), you become the unwelcome storyteller.So how can you write a story that audiences will embrace?The answer is simple: Remember what it feels like to be that jaded audience. Tell the story that would win you over, even if you didn’t want to hear it.Today's guest Matt Bird can help you. He is a screenwriter and the author of the best-selling book The Secrets of Story: Innovative Tools for Perfecting Your Fiction and Captivating Readers.The Secrets of Story provides comprehensive, audience-focused strategies for becomin

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

Today we have a special CROSSOVER episode of the IFH Podcast. Our guest is Derek Kolstad, the genius behind the extremely successful John Wick franchise. An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him. With New York City as his bullet-riddled playground, JOHN WICK (Keanu Reeves) is a fresh and stylized take on the "assassin genre”.He is also the screenwriter of One in the Chamber, The Package (starring Steve Austin & Dolph Lundgren). This episode is from the archives of The Make Your Movie Podcast with Dave Bullis available from the IFH Podcast Network. Dave chats with Derek about bad movies, screenwriting, the film business, and working with Keanu Reeves.I wanted to bring this amazing episode to the IFH Tribe. Get ready to dive into the ultra-violent world of Derek Kolstad.

Being a podcaster now for over 600 episodes I've heard all sorts of stories on how people make it in the film business. From Sundance darlings to blind luck. Now today's guest story is easily one of the most incredible and entertaining origin stories I've ever heard. We have on the show today award-winning director, producer, and screenwriter, Sacha Gervasi. Sacha won the screenwriter lottery with his first-ever screenplay, which was a un-produceable short film script, caught the eye of the legendary Steven Spielberg. That script, My Dinner with Herve would eventually be expanded and released in 2018 by HBO. The film stars the incomparable, Peter Dinklage. Unlike most writers/directors who go on to produce their debut films, Gervasi’s 1993 entry project wasn’t made until just three years ago.I promise you, Sacha spills every detail of the fascinating story of his encounter with Hervé Villechaize, the famous little person from shows like Fantasy Island and films like James Bond's The Man with the Golden Gun.

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

So many times we hear those mythical stories of a filmmaker who makes a short film and uploads it to YouTube in hopes of a big-time film producer sees it and comes down from Mount Hollywood and offers him or her a deal to turn that short into a studio feature. Today's guest had that happen to him and then some. On the show is writer/director David F. Sandberg.David's story is the "lottery ticket" moment I speak about so often on the show. His journey in Hollywood is remarkable, inspiring, and scary all at the same time. He created a short film called Lights Out. That short was seen by famed filmmaker and producer James Wan (Furious 7, Aquaman, The Conjuring) who offered to produce a feature film version at New Line Cinema.The feature version of the film was made for $5 million and grossed $150 million at the box office. Here's what the film is about.When Rebecca left home, she thought she left her childhood fears behind. Growing up, she was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went ou

Monday Motivation! We all need a kick in the butt sometimes on our screenwriting journey. These episodes will do just that. Never stop chasing that dream and keep on hustling.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as DANIELS, have been writing and directing together for over a decade, initially with a slew of viral music videos, commercials, and short films, then with feature films and TV directing.They've developed a reputation for combining absurdity with heartfelt personal stories. Oftentimes they incorporate a unique brand of visual effects, and visceral practical effects into their genre blending projects.They have directed music videos for Manchester Orchestra, Foster the People, and won a VMA for their video for “Turn Down For What,” which Scheinert bullied Kwan into being the lead actor in. Kwan is a really good dancer.They wrote and directed the feature film Swiss Army Man starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, which went on to win the Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, received multiple nominations, and gained a large cult following.While they were writing & developing their new movie Everything Everywhere All At Once, a kung fu sci-fi dra